Solo diving

[jonnythan]

One small question.. what's the difference between doing a solo dive to verify/place an anchor and a solo dive to look at pretty fishes?

 

[Kim]

Would you tie into a wreck you did not know, under conditions you were not certain of? Since you advocate solo diving, how would you go about that kind of a tie in dive, Herby?

I have to say that I've actually done that - someone else tried first but couldn't find the submerged buoy that was supposed to be at 5m. As I had a larger tank (my own) than the others I tried for the buoy but also couldn't find it. The boat captain was convinced we were sitting on top of the wreck though and asked me if I was prepared to do a bounce to the bottom - about 23 meters. I did it and hit directly on to the top of the wreck. It was most certainly solo and I was as careful and slow as I could be. I was carrying the tie in rope though so I had some (albeit limited) contact with the boat above.

It was either that or cancel the dive. Some would probably say cancel...I appreciate that. I certainly wouldn't suggest that anyone else do it. I felt OK with it.

 

[dkktsunami]

i thought i have never solo'd before, but i've never really considered that if you are some distance from your buddy you are essentially solo diving.

based on that i'm not sure if i have ever buddy dived. even on my AOW checkout dives the DM was holding hands with the hot chick and i hanging back several meters following them.

If you are more than one breath away from your buddy you are solo diving.

 

[pilot fish]

I have to say that I've actually done that - someone else tried first but couldn't find the submerged buoy that was supposed to be at 5m. As I had a larger tank (my own) than the others I tried for the buoy but also couldn't find it. The boat captain was convinced we were sitting on top of the wreck though and asked me if I was prepared to do a bounce to the bottom - about 23 meters. I did it and hit directly on to the top of the wreck. It was most certainly solo and I was as careful and slow as I could be. I was carrying the tie in rope though so I had some (albeit limited) contact with the boat above.

It was either that or cancel the dive. Some would probably say cancel...I appreciate that. I certainly wouldn't suggest that anyone else do it. I felt OK with it.

Hope the other divers thanked you for your efforts? You are obviously a good, careful diver. If you had missed the wreck, tie in point, you would have still been able to get back to the boat since you were holding the line to the boat? Was there a lot of current?

 

[Kim]

You are obviously a good, careful diver. If you had missed the wreck, tie in point, you would have still been able to get back to the boat since you were holding the line to the boat?

Good...careful..? Some would probably disagree. I could have got back to the boat with or without the line., current wasn't an issue. If I'd missed the wreck after a couple of minutes I'd have surfaced and called the dive completely.

The point is though...it's dumb to deny it's solo - and it's VERY dumb not to realize when you ARE solo. Sometimes maybe you did it intentionally. I prefer that to actually being solo withouit knowing it. There's a lot of people who do that.

 

[dherbman]

groannnnnnnnnnnnnnnn, pony bottle, you know, BE ABLE TO GET MYSELF TO THE SURFACE IF i HAD TO ALONE.

Let me go a wee bit slower for you, old chap. I would not volunteer, IN THE FIRST PLACE, for a dive I was not able to handle. Why is this not getting through to you?:shakehead

All that I read in your posts is a basic lack of competency and the disturbing lack of understanding of how dangerous that is. You think a pony bottle is the answer, butyou don't even understand the question.

Congratulations, you are the first person (notice I use person and not diver, this is significant) I would choose to exercise option #1 with. As long as you continue to post spew, I'm going to be there to point it out, lest someone not knowing any better actually takes your posts for anything other than the hazard they represent.

Apologies to the OP for the hijack, but PiFi has a way of drawing me off topic.

As someone who has had the importance of your buddy (and being a buddy) pounded into my head. I wonder why people get into solo diving. Many of the stories I have heard about diver deaths have been when the diver went out alone, or went down without a buddy. Is it adrenaline? Necessity (are they grouchy?:light: )?

What say you?

I say that statistics indicate that the majority of incidents take place when the diver is solo diving with a buddy. The phrase "Diver was found......" is far more prevalent than "Diver was witnessed by his buddy to...." in incident reports. I think that is significant and it's something I consider when ever I solo or dive with a buddy.

I solo out of necessity, but I would rather have a buddy.

 

[TeddyDiver]

I was carrying the tie in rope though so I had some (albeit limited) contact with the boat above..

Actually if there was someone holding the other end of the rope, you didn't do a solo dive. Roping a dive is quite normal while for example searching and there are certain own procedures and signals for it.

 

[pilot fish]

Good...careful..? Some would probably disagree. I could have got back to the boat with or without the line., current wasn't an issue. If I'd missed the wreck after a couple of minutes I'd have surfaced and called the dive completely.

The point is though...it's dumb to deny it's solo - and it's VERY dumb not to realize when you ARE solo. Sometimes maybe you did it intentionally. I prefer that to actually being solo withouit knowing it. There's a lot of people who do that.

I agree, being solo and not intending it is not the best situation. If you are intending it, and prepared for it, that is one thing, but to find yourself alone at depth when you thought you were buddying is quite another thing.

 

[pilot fish]

dHerbyman, you are being rude and argumentative. No good will come of me responding to you any further. Your continued pretense at not understanding simple things only derails a perfectly good thread. You'd think you'd have a little respect, and understanding, for the topic at hand and the original poster? Your continued needling, jabbing and pointless arguments are a distraction. Try to have a good day.

 

[JeffG]

You'd think you'd have a little respect, and understanding, for the topic at hand and the original poster?

Pot meet Kettle.